Electrical wire lug and terminal crimper



Aug. 6, 1957 L. H. SPANGLER V ELECTRICAL WIRE LUG AND TERMINAL CRIMPER ,Filed De c. 9, 1955 /0 2%. r num ml mmmf Z mmvroa 55753 SPAM/G152 United States Patent ELECTRICAL WIRE LUG AND TERMINAL CRIMPER Lester H. Spangler, San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 9, 1955, Serial No. 552,045

2 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) In many instances, it is necessary to crimp lugs or terminals on electric wire or cable, etc.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a device which will facilitate the crimping of lugs or terminals onto the ends or other portions of an electrical cable or wire. To this end, the invention, summarized briefly, comprises a yoke of substantially U-shape, and threaded in the bight of the yoke is a stem, to which is swivelly connected a crimping jaw of V-shape having over its full length crimping lugs or teeth, projections or the like. Hingedly connected to one leg of the yoke is an opposing crimping jaw, also of V-shape and having crimping projections confronting those of the first jaw. The second jaw can be lockably engaged with the other leg of the yoke to cooperate with the yoke in providing a frame. Formed in the legs of the yoke and in the second jaw are guide grooves, in which the ends of the first jaw are slidably engaged.

Among the specific objects of the invention are the following:

To provide a device which can be used more efliciently and easily than previous tools designed for the same purpose;

To permit the application of a maximum amount of crimping pressure in relation to the lightness of the device;

To permit speedy adjustment of the jaws toward and away from one another, thus to correspondingly speed up the crimping of the lugs and associated wires;

To provide an improved jaw construction and relationship that will result in a progressively reduced opening in which the lug and Wire being crimped are confined, tending to apply pressure to the same at all locations about the circumferences thereof; and

To permit the device to be manufactured at a minimum of cost, while still being rugged and substantially trouble free in operation.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like ,parts throughout the several views and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a tool formed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the tool as seen from line 2-2 of Figure 1; t

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view like Figure 2 showing a modified construction; and

Figure 5 is a view like Figure 3 of the modification.

Designated at is a generally U-shaped yoke, the bight of which has a threaded opening in which is engaged a threaded stem 12 having a handle 13 at one end and a ball element 14 at its other end. The ball element swivels in a mating recess formed in a boss provided upon the apex part of a V-shaped movable crimping jaw 16.

Pivotally connected at 18 to the outer end of one leg of yoke 10 is a V-shaped crimping jaw 20 opposing jaw 16, and having at the end thereof remote from the hinge 'ice pin 18 a lateral extension 22 adapted to contact opposing extension 24 formed upon the yoke 10.. A connecting eye bolt 26 is pivotally connected to extension 24, within a slot of extension 24, and swings into a slot of extension 22. A wing nut 28 threaded on bolt 26 may be turned home against extension 22 to fixedly connect jaw 20 to yoke 10 in a position in which jaw 20 extends transversely of and closes the open end of the yoke 10.

In the arms of the jaw 20 (which may be termed a fixed jaw) elongated openings or slots 30 are formed, the end walls of which parallel the legs of yoke 10. In the outer end walls of the openings narrow guide grooves 36 are formed. The arms of the movable jaw 16 project through the slots, and at their free ends have tongues 32 guided in the grooves 36, and also guided in longitudinal guide grooves 32 formed in the inner surfaces of the yoke legs. Grooves 34, 36 are in alignment, and define at each side of the yoke a single guideway for the adjacent tongue 32.

On the faces of the arms of jaw 16 that confront the jaw 20 closely spaced, transversely extending projections or ribs 38 are formed, and similar ribs 40 are formed on the jaw.

By reason of this construction, a terminal or lug, not shown, which is to be crimped onto a wire, also not shown, is inserted with the wire in the diamond shaped opening defined between the oppositely disposed jaws 16, 20. Then, the handle 13 is rotated, and this advances jaw 16 toward the jaw 20, with tongues 32 slidably engaged first in the grooves 34 and subsequently, as the terminal and wire are approached, in the grooves 36. Continued rotation of the stem 12 causes the outer ends of the jaw 16 to move out of the guideways, to the position shown in Figure 1. law 16 will still be held against rotation, by engagement of its opposite side surfaces against the side walls of openings 30.

Continued advancing of the jaw 16 will progressively reduce the size of the diamond shaped opening defined between the two jaws. As a result, a crimping pressure is applied to the terminal and the associated wire over their full circumferences. the opposed crimping projections 38, 40 are thereby forced into the material of the terminal and wire, so as to crimp or interlock the same.

To remove the crimped terminal and wire, one only need back off the wing nut 28 to an extent sufiicient to permit connecting bolt 26 to be swung outwardly, thus freeing jaw 20 for swinging movement away from jaw 16. In this connection, while the free ends of jaw 16 might limit full swinging movement of the jaw 20, the jaw will still be swingable to an extent sufficient to enlarge the opening designed between the two jaws enough for removal of the crimped wire and terminal. Alternatively, the jaw 16 can of course be backed away from jaw 20 before the jaw 20 is swung to an open position.

In Figures 4 and 5 a modified construction is shown. This is similar in every respect to the first form, except for the form and disposition of the crimping projections. Thus, there is a stationary jaw 20a having openings 30a, through which extend the arms of the movable jaw having longitudinally extending crimping ribs 38a instead of transverse ribs 38. The movable jaw has tongues 32a engageable in the guideways previously described.

The jaw 20a in this form has, adjacent the opposite side edges thereof, longitudinal crimping ribs 40a. One rib 40a is provided at each side of jaw 20a, to effect crimping of the terminal and wire.

Other shapes and arrangements of crimping projections can also be employed within the scope of the appended plans.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not neces- As said pressure is applied,

f- -An A sarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for crimping together a terminal and wire comprising a generally U-shaped yoke; a stem threadedly engaged in the bight of the yoke; a generally V-shaped jaw carried by and extending transversely between the legs of the yoke and formed with crimping projections facing inwardly of the yoke; and a second jaw swivelly connected to the stem and formed substantially to a V- shape, the second jaw being arranged oppositely to the first jaw and including crimping projections facing toward the first jaw, said yoke and first jaw being formed with guide grooves for holding the first jaw against rotation during movement thereof toward and away from the second jaw, said first jaw having elongated openings receiving the ends of the second jaw, thus to define between the jaws a generally diamond shaped aperture in which the terminal and wire are disposed during the crimping thereof, said apertures being progressively reduced in area responsive to adjustment of the second jaw toward the first jaw, the guide grooves of the yoke extending longitudinally of the legs of the yoke and the guide grooves of the first jaw being formed in the walls of said openings of the first jaw and constituting extensions of the guide grooves of said legs, said 'Second jaw being formed with tongues at opposite ends thereof slidably engaging in the guide grooves of the yoke and first jaw.

2. A device for crimping together a terminal and wire comprising a generally U-shaped yoke; a stem threadedly engaged in the bight of the yoke; a generally V-shaped jaw carried by and extending transversely between the legs of the yoke and formed with crimping projections facing inwardly of the yoke; and a second jaw swivelly connected to the stem and formed substantially to a V- shape, the second jaw being arranged oppositely to the first jaw and including crimping projections facing toward the first jaw, said yoke and first jaw being formed with guide grooves for holding the first jaw against rotation during movement thereof toward and away from the second jaw, said first jaw having elongated openings receiving the ends of the second jaw, thus to define between the jaws a generally diamond shaped aperture in which the terminal and wire are disposed during the crimping thereof, said apertures being progressively reduced in area responsive to adjustment of the second jaw toward the first jaw, the guide groves of the yoke extending longitudinally of the legs of the yoke and the guide grooves of the first jaw being formed in the walls of said openings of the first jaw and constituting extensions of the guide grooves of said legs, said second jaw being formed with tongues at opposite ends thereof slidably engaging in the guide grooves of the yoke and first jaw, said second jaw being hinged at one end to one of the legs of the yoke to swing into and out of position extending transversely of the yoke, the yoke including means on theother leg thereof engaging the first jaw in said position to fixedly connect the first jaw to the yoke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 488,600 Cowell Dec. 27, 1892 575,293 Boggs et al. Jan. 12, 1897 1,194,058 Neumayer Aug. 8, 1916 1,317,973 Hallin Oct. 7, 1919 1,798,340 Thewes Mar. 31, 1931 2,005,162 Petersen Jan. 18, 1935 2,758,493 Goldwater Aug. 14, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 615,784 Great Britain Ian. 11, 1949 685,384 Great Britain Jan. 7, 1953 722,278 Great Britain Jan. 19, 1955 

